Radial counter flow jet cooling system

ABSTRACT

The present application provides a radial counter flow jet gas cooling system for a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system may include a centering pin, a number of axial inlet ducts, a number of radial outlet ducts in communication with the axial inlet ducts, an axial subslot positioned about the axial inlet ducts, and a radial counter flow duct in communication with the axial subslot and extending along the centering pin.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application and the resultant patent relate generally todynamoelectric machines such as generators used in the production ofelectrical power and more particularly relate to improved cooling ofdynamoelectric machine rotors using a radial-axial jet cooling system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally described, large turbine driven generators used in theproduction of electrical power and the like may include a rotor and astator. The rotor serves as a source of magnetic lines of flux producedby a coil wound thereon. The rotor rotates within the stator. The statormay include a number of conductors in which an alternating current maybe induced therein. Specifically, this rotation generates a magneticfield in a narrow gas gap between the rotor and the stator.

The overall power output of a generator may be limited by the inabilityto provide additional current due to a buildup of heat in the statorcomponents and/or the rotor components. This generated heat should bedissipated to a cooling gas or other medium so as to avoid insulationfailure and the like. Moreover, the lack of adequate cooling may resultin a rotor winding hot spot. For example, a typical rotor winding hotspot may be found about the center line of the rotor. Specifically, manyrotor designs may have a non-actively cooled centering pin positionedalong the centering line. Reducing hot spot temperatures about thecentering pin and elsewhere thus may increase the utilization of therotor windings and the overall power output of the generator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system for a rotor of a dynamoelectricmachine. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system may include acentering pin, a number of axial inlet ducts, a number of radial outletducts in communication with the axial inlet ducts, an axial subslotpositioned about the axial inlet ducts, and a radial counter flow ductin communication with the axial subslot and extending along thecentering pin to provide cooling thereto.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide amethod of cooling a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine. The method mayinclude the steps of flowing cooling gas through a number of axial inletducts and a number of radial outlet ducts to cool a number of conductorbars, flowing cooling gas through an axial subslot and a radial counterflow duct to cool a centering pin, and flowing the cooling gas from theradial counter flow duct into the axial inlet ducts and one or more ofthe radial outlet ducts.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a rotorof a dynamoelectric machine. The rotor may include a centering pin, anumber of axial inlet ducts with one or more flow separators, a numberof radial outlet ducts in communication with the axial inlet ducts, anaxial subslot positioned about the axial inlet ducts, and a radialcounter flow duct in communication with the axial subslot, extendingalong the centering pin, and in communication with the axial inletducts.

These and other features and improvements of the present application andthe resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill inthe art upon review of the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a rotor with aradial-axial cooling scheme.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a rotor with a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system as may be described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to likeelements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram ofan example of a portion of a dynamoelectric machine 100. Specifically, aportion of a rotor 20 is shown. The rotor 20 may include a number ofconductor bars 30 axially positioned about a centering pin 40. The rotor20 may include an gas cooling system 50. The gas cooling system 50 mayinclude a number of axial inlet ducts 60. In this example, ten (10)axial inlet ducts 60 are shown with a first axial inlet duct 61, asecond axial inlet duct 62, a third axial inlet duct 63, . . . and atenth axial inlet duct 70. Each pair of the axial inlet ducts 60 maylead to a radial outlet duct 80. In this example, a first radial outletduct 81 that extends from the first axial inlet duct 61 and the secondaxial inlet duct 62, a second radial outlet duct 82 that extends fromthe third axial inlet duct 63 and the fourth axial inlet duct 64, . . .and a fifth radial outlet duct 85 that extends from the ninth axialinlet duct 69 and the tenth axial inlet duct 70. Any number of the axialinlet ducts 60 and the radial inlet ducts 80 may be used. The axialinlet ducts 60 may include one or more flow separators 90, (i.e., ablocker or a crimping) about each radial outlet duct 80 or elsewhere soas to block the flow of gas 55.

The flow of gas 55 may extend into the axial inlet ducts 60 and out viathe radial outlet ducts 80 towards the air gap. As is shown, only thefirst axial inlet duct 61 and the second axial inlet duct 62 may extendabout the centering pin 40. As a result, the remaining length of thecentering pin 40 may not be actively cooled and hence may lead to a hotspot and the like. The rotor 20 described herein is for the purpose ofexample only. Many other and different types of rotors and rotorcomponents may be known.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of a portion of adynamoelectric machine 100 as may be described herein. Specifically, aportion of a rotor 110 is shown. The rotor 110 may include the conductorbars 30 positioned about the centering pin 40. The rotor 110 also mayinclude a radial counter flow jet gas cooling system 120. The radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system 120 may include the axial inletducts 60 and the radial outlet ducts 80. Any number of the axial inletducts 60 and the radial outlet ducts 80 may be used herein in anysuitable size, shape, or configuration. In this example, the radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system 120 may include a radial counterflow jet 130. The radial counter flow jet 130 may include an axialsubslot 140. The axial subslot 140 may be positioned beneath the axialinlet ducts 60. The axial subslot 140 may lead to a radial counter flowduct 150. The radial counter flow duct 150 may be in communication withthe axial inlet ducts 60 and the first radial outlet duct 81. The axialsubslot 140 may be about half the size of the existing axial inlet ducts60 although the axial subslot 140 and the radial counter flow duct 150may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. Other componentsand other configurations may be used herein.

In use, the radial counter flow jet gas cooling system 120 may providethe cooling gas 55 close to the centering pin 40 via the axial subslot140 and the radial counter flow duct 150 of the radial counter flow jet130. Specifically, the cooling gas 55 may extend through the radialcounter flow duct 150 along the length of the centering pin 40 toprovide cooling thereto. The cooling gas 55 then may be exhausted in acounter flow direction along the axial inlet ducts 60 and out via thefirst radial outlet duct 81 or otherwise. Other components andconfigurations also may be used herein.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a radial counter flow jet gascooling system 160. In this example, the gas cooling system 160 mayinclude a radial cross over cooling jet 170. The radial cross overcooling jet 170 may include the axial subslot 140. The axial subslot 140may lead to a radial cross over duct 180. The radial cross over duct 180may be in communication with a number of cross over slots 190 positionedwithin the centering pin 40. The cooling gas 55 thus may pass throughthe axial subslot 140, into the radial cross over duct 180, and crossover the centering pin 40 via the cross over slots 190. The cooling gas55 then may exit via the axial inlet ducts 60 and the radial outletducts 80 on the other side of the centering pin 40. The radial crossover duct 180 and the cross over slots 190 may have any suitable size,shape, or configuration. Other components and other configurations alsomay be used herein.

FIG. 4 shows a further alternative embodiment of a radial counter flowjet gas cooling system 200 as may be described herein. The radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system 200 may include a combined radialcounter flow and cross over cooling jet 210. The combination radialcounter flow and cross over flow cooling jet 210 may include the axialsubslot 140 leading to a radial combination duct 220. The centering pin40 may have a number of the cross over slots 190 therein while a numberof the axial inlet ducts 60 may have a flow separator 90 therein. Givensuch, the cooling gas 55 may enter the radial combination duct 220 witha portion of the cooling gas 55 crossing over the centering pin 40 inone direction and a portion of the cooling gas 55 extending in a crossflow direction back towards the first radial outlet duct 81 orotherwise. The radial combination duct 220 and the cross over slots 190may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. Other componentsand configurations also may be used herein.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of a radial counter flow jet gascooling system 230 as may be described herein. The radial counter flowjet gas cooling system 230 may include one or more inclined radialcounter flow jets 240. The inclined radial counter flow jets 240 mayinclude the axial subslot 140. The axial subslot 140 may lead to one ormore inclined radial counter flow ducts 250. The inclined radial counterflow ducts 250 may be inclined towards the centering pin 40 in thedirection of the gas gap. As a result, more of the cooling gas 55 may bedirected towards that end of the centering pin 40. FIG. 5 shows the useof a single inclined radial counter flow duct 250. FIG. 6 shows the useof two or more inclined radial counter flow ducts 250. Any number of theinclined radial counter flow ducts 250 may be used herein in anysuitable size, shape, or configuration. Other components and otherconfigurations may be used herein.

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of a radial counter flow jet gascooling system 260 as may be described herein. The radial counter flowjet gas cooling system 260 may include a dedicated radial counter flowjet 270. The dedicated radial counter flow jet 270 may use the axialsubslot 140 and the radial counter flow duct 150. The dedicated radialcounter flow jet 270 also may include a dedicated radial outlet duct280. The dedicated radial outlet duct 280 may provide an additional exitpath for the cooling gas 55. The dedicated radial outlet duct 280 mayhave any suitable size, shape, or configuration. Other components andother configurations also may be used herein.

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of a radial counter flow jet gascooling system 290 as may be described herein. As was shown in FIG. 2above, the axial subslot 140 ends about the radial counter flow duct 150on either side of the centering pin 40. In the example of FIG. 8, theradial counter flow jet gas cooling system 290 may use a continuousaxial subslot 300. The continuous axial subslot 300 may extend through acentering pin subslot aperture 310. The subslot aperture 310 thus allowsthe cooling gas 55 to extend on either side of the centering pin 400.The continuous axial subslot 300 may have any suitable size, shape, orconfiguration. Other components and other configurations may be usedherein.

The radial counter flow jet gas cooling systems described herein thusmay significantly reduce the temperature about the centering pin 40 soas to reduce or eliminate hot spots thereabout. Such active cooling mayreduce the hot spots with an optimum cooling flow thereto. Each of theradial counter flow jet gas cooling systems described above may be usedas shown and/or in combination with the other embodiments.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certainembodiments of the present application and the resultant patent.Numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinaryskill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalentsthereof.

1. A radial counter flow jet gas cooling system for a rotor of adynamoelectric machine, comprising: a centering pin; a plurality ofaxial inlet ducts; a plurality of radial outlet ducts in communicationwith the plurality of axial inlet ducts; an axial subslot positionedabout the plurality of axial inlet ducts; and a radial counter flow ductin communication with the axial subslot and extending along thecentering pin.
 2. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of axial inlet ducts comprises one ormore flow separators therein.
 3. The radial counter flow jet gas coolingsystem of claim 1, wherein the radial counter flow duct is incommunication with the plurality of axial inlet ducts.
 4. (canceled) 5.(canceled)
 6. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system of claim 1,wherein the radial counter flow duct comprises a radial combinationduct.
 7. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system of claim 1,wherein the centering pin comprise a plurality of cross over slots andthe plurality of axial inlet ducts comprises a plurality of flowseparators.
 8. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system of claim1, wherein the radial counter flow duct comprises one or more inclinedradial counter flow ducts.
 9. The radial counter flow jet gas coolingsystem of claim 1, further comprising a dedicated radial outlet duct incommunication with the radial counter flow duct.
 10. The radial counterflow jet gas cooling system of claim 1, wherein the axial subslotcomprises a continuous axial subslot.
 11. The radial counter flow jetgas cooling system of claim 10, wherein the centering pin comprises acentering pin subslot aperture in communication with the continuousaxial subslot.
 12. The radial counter flow jet gas cooling system ofclaim 1, wherein a pair of the plurality of axial inlet ducts are incommunication with one of the radial outlet ducts.
 13. The radialcounter flow jet gas cooling system of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofaxial inlet ducts and the plurality of radial outlet ducts arepositioned about a plurality of conductor bars.
 14. The radial counterflow jet gas cooling system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of axialinlet ducts comprises a first size, wherein the axial subslot comprisesa second size, and wherein the second size is about half of the firstsize.
 15. A method of cooling a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine,comprising: flowing cooling gas through a plurality of axial inlet ductsand a plurality of radial outlet ducts to cool a plurality of conductorbars; flowing cooling gas through an axial subslot and a radial counterflow duct to cool a centering pin; and flowing the cooling gas from theradial counter flow duct into the plurality of axial inlet ducts and oneor more of the plurality of radial outlet ducts.
 16. A rotor of adynamoelectric machine, comprising: a centering pin; a plurality ofaxial inlet ducts; one or more flow separators positioned within theplurality of axial inlet ducts; a plurality of radial outlet ducts incommunication with the plurality of axial inlet ducts; an axial subslotpositioned about the plurality of axial inlet ducts; and a radialcounter flow duct in communication with the axial subslot, extendingalong the centering pin, and in communication with the plurality ofaxial inlet ducts.
 17. (canceled)
 18. The rotor of claim 16, wherein theradial counter flow duct comprises one or more inclined radial counterflow ducts.
 19. The rotor of claim 16, further comprising a dedicatedradial counter flow jet in communication with the radial counter flowduct.
 20. The rotor of claim 16, wherein the axial subslot comprises acontinuous axial subslot and wherein the centering pin comprises acentering pin subslot aperture in communication with the continuousaxial subslot.